Earthenware pipe making machine



March 28, 1950 w, RK Er I EAR'I'l-IENWARE PIPE MAKING MACHINE Filed Aug.21, 1947 Y I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS M0441 A a4 Z/MdA/a (2441 wgwmg wATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES .PATENT QFFICEEARTHENWARE PIPE MAKING MACHINE Application August 21, 1947, Serial No.7 69,906 In New Zealand September 13, 1946 Claims.

This invention relates to earthenware pipe making machines used for themaking of drain pipes, traps and the like, the objects of the presentinvention being the provision of improvements in such pipe makingmachines which will enable bends to be formed in the pipes as simply andeffectively as the machines produce straight pipes.

The known machines extrude the soft clay through dies in a straight lineso that the soft clay pipe on leaving the dies is straight, and if it isdesired to put bends into the pipe, the soft clay pipe on having passedout of the dies is manually pushed to form the desired bend or bendstherein.

Such manual bending of the soft clay results in the clay at the outerradius of the bend being stretched and reduced in thickness, while theclay at the inner radius of the bend is compressed and thus increased inthickness, the manual bending also causing the forming of fracture linesin the clay which thus become defects in the bent pipe produced.

Our invention has been devised to provide improvements in the die bellof the machine which will enable it to produce the bends as and whenrequired without an manual handling of the clay pipe for bendingpurposes, the bends being formed in the dies themselves and in such amanner that the thickness of the clay at all parts of the pipe includingthe bends is uniform, no stresses being applied to the pipe liable tocause formation of fracture lines in the clay, with the result that thepipes with bends therein can be produced in quantity and quickly, with avery greatly reduced percentage of defective pipes.

Broadly the invention comprises improvements in earthenware pipe makingmachines wherein deflector plate means are introduced to within the diebell in such a manner that the movements of said deflector plate meanstowards one side or the other of the die bell as caused by lever meansconnected to the deflector plate means, cause restriction or retardingof the rate of flow of the clay through the die bell to such side ofsaid die H bell towards which the deflector plate is moved, therebycausing variable rates of flow of the clay at different positionsbetween the central and outer dies of the die bell and the forming ofbends in the clay pipe extruded from such die bell. In, describing theinvention reference will be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a sectional elevation of the die bell apparatus with theimproved mechanism applied thereto, such apparatus being in the positionfor start of pipe making when forming a flange on such pipe.

Figure 2 is a plan view of Fig, 1.

Figure 3 is an underneath view of the die bell parts.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the deflector plate mechanism.

Figure 5 is a partially sectional side elevation of the die bellapparatus with the deflector plate in mid-position and Figure 6 is asimilar view to that of Fig. 5 but with the flanging dies removed and abend being extruded as in the forming of a gully trap pipe.

In the invention, the improvements are applied to the portion of thepipe making machine known as the die bell I, which is connectedvertically below (in most cases) the clay forcing or pressure apparatus(not shown) which forces the soft clay through the die bell I.

This die bell l is of usual cylinder form with an inlet end 2 for entryof the clay under pressure and an outlet end 3 with outer die 4 appliedthereto through which the clay pipe is extruded, a centre die 5 for holeor bore forming being secured to the die'bell l in usual manner as by aseries of rigid zigzag form bridges 6 between its stem 1 and the diebell I, which bridges 6 are located at the inlet end 2 of said die belli.

The additions to and modifications of such known apparatus comprise theapplication of two further and oppositely disposed bridges 8 and 8abehind two of the rigid bridges 6, these further bridges 8 and 80: beingcapable of partial rotation by being integral with spindles 9 and 9a attheir outer ends which are rotatably mounted in journals Hi and Illaformed in the die bell l to permit the outer ends of the spindles 9 and9a. to project to the outside of the die bell i, there being webs H andHa at the outer ends of these spindles 9 and 9a to either one of which ahandlever I2 is connected to pass to an accessible position at the frontof the die bell l for manual control movements over a suitably mountedquadrant [3 (see Fig. 5) in which there is a series of holes 13a intowhich stops i l of bolt or like form are adapted to be fitted asdesired.

The inner ends of the two bridges s and to have arms l5 and ifio whichextend closely alongside opposite sides of the stem i towards its end atwhich the centre die 5 is located, these two arms 15 and its beingsecured to a deflector plate is which is circular in shape and having ahole I: therein of size to permit the plate 15 (to pass around a groovela in the stem I just behind the 3 central die 5 and to be moved towardsopposite sides of the die bell I.

Normally, the upper or'inlet end 2 of the die hell I is integral withthe lower outlet end 3, but to enable the deflector plate mechanism (asshown in Fig. 4) to be entered to the die bell i, such die bell I issplit through the journals l and Ifla so that there is an upper portionla and a lower portion Ib, these portions of the die bell I beingconnected by flanges Ic (see Figs. 5 and 6) the upper portion Ia havingthe flange Id by which the apparatus is connected to the clay forcingapparatus, and the lower portion lb of the die bell 1 having the flangeIe to which the outer die 4 is secured, this flange He and the rim ofthe outer die 4 being cut away if (see Fig. 3) for purposes hereinafterreferred to.

The apparatus so far described is sufficient for the purposes of thepresent invention in the forming of bends in earthenware pipes when suchpipes do not have flanges, but as most drainage pipes have flanges, bywhich they are connected to each other, such as the flange lid of theearthenware gully trap pipe I? being extruded as shown in Fig, 6, it isdesirable to refer to the further known mechanism and the modificationsmade thereto to enable a gully trap pipe or other flanged pipe to beproduced.

The known mechanism for pipe making includes a table I 8 (see Figs. 1and 5) which is adapted to be raised and lowered as required, this tablei8 carrying the known inner flanging die I9, which, when the table withdie I9 is raised, causes the said inner flanging di I9 to engageconcentrically under the centre die 5.

Also, an outer flanging die is adapted to be secured concentricallybelow the outer die 4 and for the purposes of the present invention,this outer die 20 is now made in two halves 20a and 2022 each of whichhas hinge lugs 2| (see Fig. 1 by which the halves are secured hingablyby a setscrew or like 22 concentrically to the outer die 4, these halves28a and 20b including bolting lugs 23 and 23a (see Fig. 3) across whicha pivoted bolt 26 with handle 24a is adapted to clamp the halvestogether, side lugs 25 on the halves 20a and Zllb having verticallyadjustable setscrews 28 therein, so that when the table I8 is raised,these setscrews 26 will have their heads in contact with such table tothereby give support to the outer flanging die 20 against the pressureof clay which, but for the support given by the setscrews 26, would tendto bend the die 20 downward with the hinging setscrew 22 as the pivotalpoint.

In use or operation, with the handlever 12 in a central position asshown in Fig. 5 at which the deflector plate It is located in a centralposition concentric with the die bell I, the clay is forced evenlythrough the die bell I and the outer and central dies 4 and 5, straightpipes being formed with the outer die ll forming the outer surface ofthe pipe and the central die 5 forming the hole in the pipe.

It being desired to form a flange Ila in a pipe, the apparatus is in theposition as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the clay being forced into the spaceof flange shape between the inner and outer flanging dies I9 and 20.

The forced feed of clay is stopped when it is noted that some of same issqueezed past the small space at the bottom of the outer flanging die20, the table It with the inner flanging die I9 being then lowered andthe outer flanging die 20 opened by releasing its bolt '24 and hingingthe die halves 20a and 2% on their setscrew 22 to a position clear tothe side of the die bell I.

It bein then desired to form a bend or bends in the pipe such as in theforming of a gully trap pipe H, the handlever i2 is moved from thecentral position upward to bear against the upper stop it of thequadrant I3, such movement of the handlever I2 causing the bridges 8 and8a to partially rotate so that the two arms I5 and I5a move thedeflector plate I6 towards one side of the die bell I.

This causes retarding or restriction of the flow of the soft clay tothat side of the die bell I towards which the deflector plate I6 hasmoved and also tends to deflect the clay to the opposite side of the diebell I at which there is no restriction, with the result that with aslow rate of flow at the restricted side of the outer die 4 and a freeflow at the opposite side thereof, a bend is extruded from the die bellI.

The handlever I2 against the upper stop I4 will cause a bend of smallestradius possible to be produced consistent with the size of the pipebeing made, the extent of the bend not quite reaching degrees, the cutaway portion If of the flange l e and die 4 permitting the flange Ha ofthe pine I! to just clear in passing the outer side of the die bell I,the handlever I2 bein then sharply pulled down until it bears againstthe lower stop Id of the quadrant I3 as shown in Fig. 6, this causingthe deflector plate I6 to be moved towards the opposite side of the diebell so that the positions of restriction and free flow of the clay arejust reversed from those as previously, although not to the same maximumextent in view of the lower stop M not being in the lowest hole I311 ofthe quadrant I3 because of the bend now to be produced requiring to beof a greater radius.

Thus it will be seen that by mere movements of the handlever l2 up ordown, bends can be formed in opposite directions quickly and easily asrequired, the thickness of clay being unaffected by the retarding offlow and the free flow being nothing more than usual or normal, with theresult that the pipe has uniform thickness and the clay is subjected tono stresses liable to cause fracture lines to form therein, the radiusof any particular bend being obtained by the locating of a stop i l in aparticular hole l3a of the quadrant !3, the pressure of clay within thed e bell l tending to force the deflector plate it to the concentricmid-position, so that if the handlever i2 is released, it will assume amid-position which will cause the extrusion of straight pipes.

We claim:

1. An earthenware pipe making machine comprising a die bell having innerand outer dies, deflector plate means mounted within the die bell formovements towards and away from the side of the die bell lever meansconnected to the defiector plate means to move the latter and causerestriction or retarding of the rate of flow of the clay through the diebell at such side of said die bell towards which the deflector plate ismoved,

thereby causing variable rates of flow of the clay at differentpositions between the central and outer dies of the die bell and theforming of bends in the clay pipe extruded from such die bell.

2. An earthenware pipe making machine comprising a clay forcingapparatus a die bell composed of upper and lower connected portions,oppositely disposed cooperating journal halves formed in said portions,a flange by which the die bell is connected at its inlet end to the clayforcing apparatus, an outer die secured at the outlet end of the diebell, bridges secured at the inlet end of the die bell a stem carried bysaid bridges a centre die carried by said stem, deflector plate meansdisposed within the die bell around the centre die stem, and meansoutside the die bell for causing said deflector plate to be moved withinsaid die bell to vary the flow of clay on opposite sides of the die.

3. An earthenware pipe making machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein thedeflector plate means comprise a circular plate with a central holetherein adapted to be movably disposed around the stem of the centre diein the vicinity of a groove in said stem, two arms secured to saidcircular plate extending towards the inlet end of the die bell alongopposite sides of the stem, bridges connected to the ends of said armsin the vicinity of the inlet end of the die bell,

spindles connected to said bridges adapted to bear within the journalsat opposite sides of the die bell and webs at the outside ends of thespindles for actuating the spindles.

4. An earthenware pipe making machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein themeans for causing the deflector plate to be moved within the die bellcomprise a handlever secured to a web of a spindle of the deflectorplate means and a quadrant alongside which the handlever is movable,said quadrant having a series of holes therein for receiving stops.

5. An earthenware pipe making machine comprising a clay forcingapparatus a die bell composed of upper and lower connected portionswhich split oppositely disposed cooperating journal halves formed insaid portions, a flange by which the die bell inlet end is adapted forconnection to clay forcing apparatus, an outer die secured to the outletend of the die bell, bridges secured at the inlet end of the die bell, astem carried by said bridges a centre die carried by said stem, acircular plate with central hole therein movably disposed around thestem of the centre die in the vicinity of a groove in said stem, twoarms secured to said circular plate extending towards the inlet end ofthe die bell along opposite sides of the stem, bridges to the ends ofsuch arms in the vicinity of the inlet end of the die bell, spindlesconnected to said bridges adapted to bear within the journals atopposite sides of the die bell, webs at the outside ends of thespindles, a handlever secured to a web and a quadrant alongside whichthe handlever is movable, said quadrant having a series of holes thereinfor receiving stops.

WILLIAM ALFRED CLARK. RAYMOND GEORGE CLARK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 411,023 Fish Sept. 17, 18891,015,334 Myers Jan. 23, 1912 1,460,451 Smith July 3, 1923 1,574,433MacKenzie Feb. 23, 1926 1,677,808 Alassio et al. July 17, 1928

